The present invention relates to handheld devices for pressing guitar strings against the frets of a guitar, and more particularly to a new type and system of finger-operated guitar slides for playing a guitar.
A guitar slide is an instrument used as part of a technique for playing the guitar. Normally the pitch of a guitar string is controlled by pressing the strings against the frets. A guitar slide may be used to alter the pitch of the strings by changing the vibrating length of the strings by a sliding motion of the guitar slide along the strings.
Various types of guitar slides have been made that can fit upon one or more fingers of the hand. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,212 to Morse teaches a cylindrical guitar slide that fits over a musician's finger. U.S. Pat. No. 7,476,792 to Musser teaches a cylindrical guitar slide that fits over any musicians finger, that has a variable length depending on how it is twisted around the finger. US Patent Application Publication 2005/0045019 by Wright teaches a finger-ring type device that fits over a finger and attempts to allow the finger to bend normally while a tip of the device presses against the string of a musical instrument. US Patent Application Publication 2007/0175311 by Sloan teaches a glove with slide members affixed to the fingertips of the glove.
It would be advantageous to provide a guitar slide that may be used on different fingers, that may be made with various sizes in order to allow the guitar player to choose whether the slide will cover the first joint of the finger, or not, as well as allowing the guitar player to choose how many strings will be engaged by the slide or slides. This arrangement may give guitar players more sonic possibilities that a conventional guitar slide cannot provide, including the ability to play new chords, voicings, and techniques. Many problems and limitations of conventional guitar slides may be reduced or eliminated, and guitarists may be able to produce new sounds on their instruments.
Using some embodiments of the system of fingertip guitar slide disclosed herein, guitar players may put different slides onto various fingers, so that multiple slides may be used at the same time. Furthermore, while some conventional guitar slides cover various or all of the joints of the finger while playing, the design of the invention disclosed herein may in some embodiments allow the player free movement of his finger joints while playing, affording optimal muscular movement with minimal effort.
Furthermore, with some embodiments of the disclosed invention there may be no need to use alternate guitar tunings to play different intervals while playing in order to get the slide effect. Players may slide 3, 4, 5, and 6 note chord voicings (including barre chords) using the fingertip slides without detuning the guitar. Additionally, by using more than one fingertip slide the musician may allow the playing of open strings in between strings on which the fingertip slides are being applied.
The disclosed fingertips slide system includes embodiments that use small, ergonomic pieces allowing for quicker, more agile movements while achieving the sound of a guitar slide, and more, since the player may provide the slide effect on some strings while applying non-slide fret finger placement on another string or other strings between the strings that are receiving the slide effect.
Accordingly, in one aspect of the current invention, a guitar slide adapted to be worn on a musician's finger comprises an annular end including a hole adapted for receiving the musician's finger, and a semiannular end adapted to extend over a tip of the musician's finger, the semiannular end forming a recess adapted for the musician's finger to rest within and being configured such that the recess becomes wider as the distance from the annular end increases.